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2 Sheetg-.Sheet 2 zone zong YAKCE L POST RATES LBS.

BEST AVAILABLE comy W.y FLINT Original Filed Jan. a, 1920 ,FR'OM 511 Louis. vFmsr cLAss Exfn EFGM.

KLRV

55S RATES annu N E ALuNILLmavs Toms Mm w ORSIMWM! m Sus BLM: SEE 5T. LOUIS SPECIAL U SHEET OPPOSITE Sept. 18 1923.

GUIDE SHOWING COMPARATIVE EXPRESS AND PARCEL POST SHIPPIHG RATES Reisued sept. 18, 1 923.

UNITED A'sTArI-:s'

est AvAiLABLEQOPw ParENT oFFICE.

, M CHARLESWIELIAM `FLINT, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Original No. 1,420,828, dated June 27-=!922, Serial No.

350,089, led January 8, 1920. Application for reissue flied June`v B, 1923. Serial No. 644,272.

To 11N 'whom/it moy concer/1,:

vBe it known thaty l. (lnxnmcs Wimaxnl 'Fianna citizen of the United States, resid; ing at Chicago, inv the county ot' Cook and citate of illinois, have invented certain new and useful lmprm'einents in Guides Shoa'- .ing Comparative Express and Parcel-Post- ,Shipping Rates, oi which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a reference-guide by which a shipper by parcel post or express may determine the respective. rates applying and may make instant. and directy comparisons of saine to determine which ot' the two services is the cheaper where both are 4possibleunder a given condition.

The two prlneipal vservices available for the 'transportation of the smallerflighter and more compact class ot' commercial shipments are, first, the express service operated in the United States of America by. the American Railway :Express Comp'an.\l',l and other private companies or corporations, and secondly,.the parcel post service operated by the United States Governmentpostal department.. Y A

Heretofore, comparatire rate bracing rates lor both parcel post` and express services hare been arrangetiand puhlished, but. such guides have heen-arranged and compiled so that the. method -and ine-ans of determining the rates by both parcel'post and express, when shipping from the town for which the luide was prepared; where an integral and essential part of the list of the express and parcel post oliices or towns, so that suoh guides may be used only `for Shipments originatiun` from the particular city orp'oint of shipment t'or which the guide is especiallyvr intended to appl)v and could be used for no` other city or initial pointl of Q publish at a very shipment. 1n conswluence. itthas. therefore bcennecessary in the past to compile and considerable expense a eon'iplet-e new guide for each city that. the publisher oit" shipping; information. 'desired to serve, and thecompilation, 'printing' and publication of a work of this nature .such 'a tedious and expensiwtask that. guides have@ been preparedV showing comparative guides emexpress and pai-cel post. rates tor onl)v a few `ot' the largest cities` sla-has New York city., Chicago, Boston and possibbY two or three others. Such cities as Clevelaml, Detroity and St. Louis, together'with the multitnde` of smaller commercial centers have not heretotore heen served with comparative rate.

guidesfor parcel postand express shipments.

as ltfhas not been found .that the number of possible'saies of such special publications .would warrentv .the expense, with ther result that shippers from any 'except the largest centers inlined, have found it necessary to de'- pend upon information as tomates as turnished 1n separate publications issued by the express c'ol'npanies or the United States Post (lflice 1*)e1n1rt1nent, all of which intoxan'ation,

while complete, vis'not.arranged for purposes of readycomparison, necessitating a great. amount of work and-expense in ascertainingT comparative rates, for reasons thatl will he hereinafter fpointed out in comparixu T they infromation furnished to the public bythe postal and express authorities with 4the. inl ,formation arranged according to my inven-y tion.

invention to .provide al1 l' n'ored l'orln ol' vguide showing' both parcel post and express rates thatfshall contain toa maximum degree information applicable for use in a gnidc 'o'r indicalinLvr specilic rates vl'roln any designated town. city or other point of shipi'nent. thus adapting the Same h n' universal use witha lnininnnn amount ol' revision -or changes.

A.\ furthcl'ohjcct ol" the intention is to provide an improved l'orm ol' parcel post and express rate guide comprisingV a com-- plete and combined list hl' the parcel post and express olliccs otthc .Vnitcd States or other nation or co`untr \Y or Igrand division. such oflices being: `grouped by States or 'sulalirisions and alphaliclcally arranged throughout on what may hc terme-l pri- It is therefore the primary object oi' ing-.7

` w-iel `y numbers as established and com- {monly used in express and arcel 0st rat-e information furnished by tie U. postal department and the express companies, whereby the major portion comprising lists of places of a complete guide showing comparative parcel post and express rates from any given point of shipment may be utilized without revision for publication by changes in said rate tables only, in order to adapt the guide for complete use from any given point l'psarytheuse olices by States eographical subpostal units of -directed to an embodiment thereof with Fig. 2 illustrates a 'termed a secondary reference' to certainy -portions of a guide' i1- lustrating fragmentary pages ofthe essential thereof shown in the accompanying .A portion of the shipping destinations or towns Iofy a' selected geographical subdi vision or State .arranged in der on what may be terined a primary leaf; ortion of the rate sheet applicable to the se ected geographical subdivision or State of Fig. 1 on what may -be leaf; and Fig. 3 isa fragmentary portion of a. 'special sheet il.- lustrating the' manner in which sub-block express otiices are treated in order that they l "may correctl showth'e express .rates that apply to shipping destinations located rlin Ithe same express blocl'-:s thetown where the shipment originatesbr in anycontiguous block. i The-facilities Offered by-/i the di'erent transportation agenciescarr'ying parcel post;

A -and express shipments, differ widely in some i respects ybut there i'ssutiicient similarity of service and rates applying to the majority `of merchandise ship ed I parison is that of rates.

of shipment to destination;

in packages from one to seyenty poun s, they latter'` being the maximum parcel post package, to 'make' these services directly competitive'. Assuming-,that the services offered by. these twoV ,systems regardingsafety, speed and accuracy are approximately equal, the single feature. constantly requiring .direct com-i There is a wide varia-noe inthe parcelipost and express rates, governed by the distance from point also bythe charv divided into groups of such arts drawings in'which'Fig. 1 illustrates a alphabetical orcated in the i AvAiLAeLE coe acter of the transportation facilitiesl iucludi'ng density of population adjacent route linvolved and by the Weight of the package being sliilpped. In some cases it is cheaper to use tic exlprcss service and in other cases, the parce post service is cheaper.

vcause of this situation it is therefore an economical necessity to ascertain the rates by both parcel post and express and by direct comparison determine which service oiiers the cheaper transportation on 4any given shipiiient.-

The` stal department of the United States ovei'niiient publishes for distribution at a stipulated fee, a list of all the post olices inthe United States, the sainebeing called the United Postal Guide.

This publication, which is vin book forni must be used in conjunction with the licial Zone `Key to Parcel PostGruide, the latter being a supplemental and. separate sheet of paper on which is shown the zonein which each unit ot' arca is vlocated in relation to some one certain or designated unit of ara in which a selected" point of shipment is located. In this manner each subscriber or purchaser ofthe United States Official Postal Guide, is supplied with the correct zone key applying to shipments originating within -theunit of Aarea' in which the post oiice originally receiving his Shipment is locatech ,In order toy meaning of the term unit understand the of area it is necessary to know that under the postal system as established by the act creating the parcel post system, the United States andI its several territories a-nd possessions are divided into units of area 3() minutes square identical with a quarter of the area formed by the intersecting paral- States (,)flicial' lels of latitude and meridians of longitude,

vand these Vare represented on appropriate postal maps or plans originally published by the Post- ()tiice Department of the United States Government under the saine act. The units of area 'thus'. established and nuinbered as hereinafter described are made the basis of eight postal'zon'es, as follows:

'Any unit of area of which any portion lies within 50 miles ot' the geographical center of the unit of area in which the des` ignatcd point of shipment is located is considered to bc in. the pointof shipment; any unit of than 50 miles distant but any which is less than 150 geographical center which the initial portion of miles distantfrom the point of shipment is losecond Zone; ner the third zone areadistant from 150 i fourth zone -to units of area distant 300 to 600 miles; t-he ,fifthyzolne'to units of area distantfrom 600- ofqlOQQ miles; the sixt-h zloiietto unil/sg 4 adistant from first lzone from such' area morey of the unit area in' `l to lklllmiles the seventh none7 to of area distant `from 'i400 to 1800 and the nighlh none zipplies to :ill oi' uren greater than 181i() miles distant' nu ne renter of (he unil of eren in which the iniiizil poini o' shipment' is located.V

4the variousiinils olt :ireii :ire located n 'ii'h i. ference io en); verizon or leaner/'nailed unil;

oif eren mu f he worked oni end shown-on these sheeis culled ()llicinl lione Key to the lzircel .Poel lnidef' nud ii' will also olhjnf llizlirzich nni ot' :ii-en 1will require its own zone lier espcrizilly norlicil ont .for it. tlier the purpose o torminge deinite tesis 'nnen n'hiclvlo roi-istruct express terthe rn companies, chielof which is Rimes-1 Railway Expl- 1 ffonipiiny here lili-ii l the United Statics into peor. i ihiril seizures -zfnlleil blc-Clie und ineke their apply from block to block riithcrthan iroin point lo point or from town to town l'roin which il'r follows tlmtsall l or towns .in n :lesie'nntcll block are ijiec .to the rates dciined l'or the block in nfif'h they are located. v l

n c p bleek the geographical sourire 'tonnel hy 'the intersection of two lines ol latitud ind two oi" lengji'tii'i'le. '.lherei'ore A s blocks are (Si) minutes square emi ere live-'Ji and nnclningrezihle end ine uniform except :is lo such rerietions i i that lines of ln'ririnle 'ein or toward the poles.

iupimnl irene or illecite linni nl' numberlying helween peralc. initier honig' the north lnited Sintes" numfrom lili to "L pro i All blocks lying een vev voeding' from w liieween parallel. ronseent-ively from lill to 2,35? 'proceeding ,from west to 'en zi-'l lhie system lsfcon* tinued until the ire irren L the Unite-1l. luis heen divided in'o express lilof'ls l l' lr 'goed :i delinite rnd lixed number nb z I rxl express reir llt" ilii l muy in M1 :anni illul-il gli n sce' he che lill' sihly other considerations. That is, to say, the rates applying on express shipments are designated by scales, workedout on' a graduated system so lthat the charges on a. pacle,

:Lec or' any acceptable weight and travellmp` nny distance under any cnd1t1ons can 'he quickly dcterminedby the'application oi the rates as embodied in s ome one of the Various scales. The sceles applying from one certain designated block to each and all of` the various 'other blocks, es heretofore described` are worked out and shown in other pamphlets 'or kevs, of which there is one for each block' and theseJ pamphlets are celled Local and Joint Block Tariff,

From the above description yof theparcel post units of aree yand express blocks it will be seen that the parcel post units of area are a one-fourth of the sizeof en express block.

Esch unit of aree is given a separate numher, the units lying: in columns extending north and south being numbered from the north to the south heginninfs,r with the colnnin'lyingl farthest east und progressing tol- 'Werd the west. gli" or each of said columns fifty number-s Vare assigned and on accountv orf the shape of the extreme eastern part of the United States there will be only nine numbers used to designate the units of eren. appearing in that column. There are not' any of the columns throughoutthe entire United Statesthat makes useof the entire number of the series ess1gned-- to each col- In eachof the systems es described for designating' express blocksy and parcel postnnit-s or' eren the United States is treated es :L whole. withthe result that the numbers required to designate .both the express blocks und parcel post units ot' aren therein run into thc thousands, vthe express blocks run- 'ningzj as highes 2545 end the parcel, post nuts of area runningto 5813. Since each el ihe various keV sheets or tables for ce1-taining, the rates applying to the respeclia'e express biol-lis end parcel post units .of

irren must deal ivith numbers runningv into the thousands, il` is necessary vto search through these con'iparntixely eii'nilu-rsoine lists of numbers covering' the entire United fletes innjn'dcr to find the zone applying to the pertilflilnr unit of aren. when parcel post rates are considered and the same condition is true with respect to the numbers desigf! uiting express. hlocks'w'hen express raie in- ;if, 'ion is desired, since it is obviously necessary to determine the. number of nv parruiur block and the smile nl'iplying' to the e in order to ascertain the correct cx rute.

hejmprcnfed method which l nso 'for the lrentinent ofthese comparulzirec and cnnil'nous numbers applying lo the murs of :ire-.1 and express blocks to tirent auch subdivision .of the reentry pliticalr'on and consequent n Il inois be seen that` this BEST AvAsLABLE COP` called a State as an entityand'ndependentl y of every other State and in connection therewith to consider only such express blocks and parcel post units of area as have any portion thereof lying within the boundary of that particular State. p f

' preparing a guide embodying tlieinvention ot' my improved method or system, after the express blocks and parcel post units of area lying wholly or in part within a new number or designatlon, prefer a number, to numbered under established b'v postal ese new arbitrary key numbers, as I prefer to term them, begin preferably although not necessarily, with the numeral l for the previouslvlowest numbered unit of area as established by the United States postal department, and the series proceeds in numerical order until all the units in the he same system is applied to the olicially numbered units of area of all he various States of the Union, and it will economy of time and expense in both the publishing and in of the guide. For .ex-

States postal department that the units of a mlnilnum to No. 2519 as a maximum, but it also follows from the system employed that these numbers .for Illinois are not consecutive, due to the fact before mentioned columns occurs and t -cally according to the ollicial systems begin with 2164 and extend consecutively to 2174 and with a break to 221,4 and cxtei'idini,r thence consecutively to 2224 where another break occurs.' There will be as many of these consecutive lgroups of olhciul numbers applied toparccl post units of area Ously, asthere are vertical columns units of arca involved in the official scheme covering theA tate or any other given State department.

g' irregular Yboundary lines area run from N o. 2114 as,y

, by the additin Ato under treatment. For the in connection with which emplilcation of th an shown in will which applies to the last' of the series Vl1t1 respect to the treatment of the express blocks my invention contemplates an analogous treatment, and as these blocks run in the State of Illinois in a broken series from 735 as the lowest number numerically to 1237 as the highest number numerically, here are altogether 24 of these numbers, apply to them in ynumerical order letters of theA English alphabet from A to X respectively. vWhile prefer to use letters of the English alpha-- et, obviously characters of any other al pliabet or other suit-able designations may be employed such as numbers. The usey of letters or similar characters instead of numbers to designate these express blocks is preferred by me for the reason that` the number of expressblocks ordinarily in any given State will be approximately one fourth the number of parcel post units of area. there being, for example, in the State of Illinois,as noted, 78 units of area, while Athere are only 24 express bloc y proportion of parcel postlunits ofarea vto express blocks is not maintained in the ratio of four to one f it is apparent, be d ue to the State of Illlnois will result in fractional express blocks increasing' the proportion of such blocks over the parcel post units of area as apparent in the State of Illinois. YVhile in the State of Illinois there are norlnally only 24 express blocksvto be designated and the 4normal English alphabetlis adequate for, the purpose in States like the State of Texas where `77V express blocks are involved it normal English alphabet will not' suffice.- ,I talgecare of this'in such 4ta-tes by combi'- nations of letters. F or example, I may take the 26 letters of the'English alphabet and rst letter Ai mak ing the series run AA,

each'of, tor example, the j (A etc., I may produce a series of 9 l designating characters large enough to takecare of any contingency.

By makinguse of the above described key numbers for redesignating .officially numbered parcel post units ot area. and. 1n-

a like manner makin use of the key -letters for redesignating ocially numbered express blocks as described, I amable te eliminate the cumbrou's .ollcial vIllinois is in express block No. 935,` and.

BEST AvAiLABLE comy in my comparative rate tables. To illustrate from the d'rawingsin Fig. l'showing the manner of listing Illinois towns rthe town of Abingdon is taken. Reference to American Railwa Express 'Company Otcial Directory. isclos that Abingdon.

reference to the. nited States Official Postal Guide d islos'ts the fact that Abingdon is in' parcel post unit of area No. 2367. B referring to primary leaf of Fig.' 1 in which the express'block and parcel post unit of area key letters and'key numbers respectively, are worked out, it will be seen that these are designated by 5T-57 for Abingdon. These designations are fixed or unvarying for the ltown OfAbingdon or any other town listed in .Illinois as shown in Fig. l regardless of the center from which ratev tables are being constructed. o r

from which rates are being considered. In the exempliication of theV invention the rate sheet of Fig. 2 and the St. Louis special sheet of express rates; to sub-block olliees in Illinois of Fig. 3 are construe-ted with reference to St. Louis as a center or initial point of shipment. If the' oilicial parcel post unit of area andI the express block numbers were employedlit would be necessary in Fig. l to print same opposite the town ot Abingdon as forv example 935- 2367,'.

Then in making up the special rate.

sheet or secondary leaf of Fig. 2 it would" he necessary to print these numbers in the key spaces at the top of the table with the result that-instead of the key .letters vat the top of the express rates arranged in scale. columns and the comparatively small key numbers at the top of theparcel post rales arranged in zone columns. we would have the'un\\=ieldy or cumbious numbers of lhe ollieial publirations referred to. v'This would not onlf.Y eneumber the list of otlices or towns of.,l"ig. l` but would make the rate 'sheet of Fig. 2 almost impossible ot' use for ordinary reference purposes. This is espefiall \r tri-'ze when itis considered that in a reiferenee work ol' this character., it is impossible or impractical to attempt to 'irintlists of towns er shipping from one sheet to another must be nijade., that persons ns1-ng the guide are toreed to numerals. and these obviously must ,be similililied-as much as possible in orde-r to enablev the work to be of any practical use.

'l`o further illustrate, il will be seen that ihe town of Addison, which is in express block H38 and parcel post unil of area 21H, is designated ,in the list of towns for illinois by the key letter and. number ll-2 which like all ol' the. siinilarkcy designations ot' my syslem are easily remembered or held inthe 4ters designating express `N, O, P, S, des( inations and rates' on 'the same sheet, and it follows since reierence vmind of the user until the reference to the rate table may be completed, and trom which it will be seen that the express rate to Addison will be found in scale. which is the column next to the last 0i the express rates printed o n the Illinois rate sheet of Fig. 2, and on' which obviously, are considered only those express scales ap )lying to shipments destined to points in t e State tot Illinois Jtrom St. Louis as a shipping center. Ii it werey desired therefore, to ship one pound by express from St. Louis to Addison it will seen that the costy by express would'be ltwentyfninecents The key number rcterring tothe parcel post rate .from St. Louis to Addison being 2 it will be ascertained by reference to the selected list of key numbers iop-lof t e parcel post 'fete Gollmls'are -groupe wherever possible in consecutive arrangement. 'Ilhehypnen between two key numbers, for 'example l-4, indicates that all towns having parcel post key numbers from l"to 4 inclusive in the Statel of Illinois will be found in zone 3 and hence take'the ratefor zone 3 from St. Louis as a shipping center.

By referring to the Illinois list oftowns on primary leaf Fig. l, it will be seen that Alexander is designated by key number ()-59.

The express key letter 0 does not appear with the common key letscales and rates-but above theseale columnsv 3, 4, '5 and 8 on the Illinois rate sheet. 0n the Illinois rate sheet we find All Illinois vtf'nvns marked The latter is.

we find that Alexander is followed by nu- Vat the topy of the columns containing the letter andy.

T or IV are in sub-blocks from St... Louisll Reference is further made to St.A Louis specialV sheet-.13 -the sheet of Fig. 3 and by referring to same moral. 8, thus showing that a shipmentfrom St. Louis'to Alexander by express is governed as to rates by express scale 8. Referring to that scale on the rate sheet ot Fig. 2, it will lie-seen for example, that therate on a live pound shipment from St. Louis to Alexander would he` thirty-one cents.

It should be borne in mind in considermg rates t'or sub-block ollices that such rates apply only to towns located in the Same.l block as the initial point ot'shipmentor incontiguons blocks. from which it follows (tion of the city States BEST AVAILABLE com that on account of the geo hical loc'aof St. L'ouisgtlij rate ide lcompiled for t e city of St. Louis wou d ots* necessity have these special sub-blocks sheets for only two States namely, Illinois-v and Miouri, with the single exception oti the town of Barlow lin the State of lKentucky. i

From the above description of my invention it will be seen that t-he entire UnitedI is divided by the express* companies under the supervision of the Government into fixed geographical areas called blocks and uponthese blocks and theirrelation to .One another the various express scales and rates or tariffs are fixed. We have also seen and the numbers valphabetically State that the entire country is divided into certain fixed geographical areas-called uni-ts of area. and that upon 'these' vand their rela` tion to 4one another thej'parcel postzones and the parcel post rates are based. The

improved system for simplifying these rather cumbrous designating numbers for the oflicially numbered blocks and units has been set forth and I will now state briefly the manner in which the rate tables may be prepared' utilizingall these advantages.

In preparing a complete. guide covering parcel post and express rates the first step necessary would beto construct complete code tables covering each State and comprising the numbers of all the express blocks of'a'll the parcel post units of area lying wholly or in part Within each State and then if it is desired to make use of the invention in its most approved form set after each of these numbers designating express blocks and parcel post units of'area the new shortened symbols as heretofore described, namely. the shortened numerical designations for parcel post units of area 'and the alphabetical designa-tionsr for the expressblocks for each State.

It is then necessary to compile State by State lists or primary leaves containing the names of all the express ofiices and post offices in the United States arrangingr sume by Statenlid nliixingr` thereto the abbreviated symbol for the purcel post' unit of arca in which cach town is located after a post oflice and the expressblock symbol after an express office. '.l'hese lists of offices with their propcr designating symbols will then be in such condition as to apply for inse `as primary leaves in a guide to designate the yparce] posta press shipping ra originin lt,l'u:`xl l it` desired to consti" M itevtafb'l ary sheets ordeayes Without` *ltA ionor revision of said State or primarylcaifes in any manner. rThis is an important teature of my4 invention from which it results that after such'lists or primary leaves of shipping points are ,compiled State by will be the'partlcular commercial 'use in any voilier.'

y for the 48 State, it is never thereafter necessary to reconstruct the lists when it is desired to cyanst ruct a rate guide for any particular ship.- ping point.'

e have already seen that there are sev-v cral hundred express blocks in tbeyUnited States and 295scales'in the express" tariff; that there are also several thousand -units of area and 8 parcel post-zones, but that comparatively few of them affect any one State.

t is therefore possible to construct. aseparate rate table 'or secondary leaf for each State 'which willbe Y as 'this rate table will show only those zones and scales with their corresponding 'rates that are effective vin such State from the given point of shipment which ordinarily which it is desired to adapt the for example,` important vshippingl centers like New'York, though it. will be apparent that by' my in vention a rate guide may be easily and cheaply devised for any sllpping point as a centerl and therein lies .the importance of the invention.

I also desire to point out that the inven-V tion is not to bek construed. ns limited to the employment of the particular abbreviated code symbols and numerals tor designating in a simplified manuel: the normal comparatively simple' ceiitcr- `for guide as iml Chicago `and St. Louis, al-l express blocks and .parcel post units of a arca, but it will. be seen that rate tables or secondary leaves for the various States may be constructed by using instead of the ab' breviated express and parcel post symbols the normal or oflic'ial numbers as employed in the official publications for designating the express blocks and parce] post units of area. i

My invention will reduce 'the costv of .the publication'o n rate guide or any given city or point of shipping origin that it makes it possible scores of commercial centers in which a demand existsffor such a publication but wherein the 'demand is not suflicient to \var' rant the compilation and publicationof n guide especially designed for one certain city undno portion of which is adaptable for Assuming 'For example, that a guide ismaile up in the-manner illus trnted. in the accompanying 'drawings from St. Louis as a shipping center. it will have States of the Union one list or prlnmrv leaves of the cxprcss und post oft-hegnecessary exprcss und .parce Symbols. It will also consisty ot' tl .y number of corresponding;y rate sheets or` secn ondary leaves'prepared yfrom St. .Louis as a shipping center tokgcthcrfwith such special sheets as'may be specialA rates to sub-block ollices 'froml to provide guides `for be seen toso greatly pre )aration and if each of theiSrStatcs andthes'e will;

ljspost necessary to set forth the assi AvAiLAeLE coinI or in the symbols ordosignations printed on v those lists. All it will bc'necessary to change will be the State rate sheets or secondary leaves together with any express sheets showing express rates to sub-block otlices from St. Louis. This is an important tea- -ture. particularly since it is common in rate guides of this character to publish the same in the torni of volumecontained in loose lent hinders and from. which it follows that the lists or primaryI leaves of ship ing destinations arranged by States wil be uniform throughout guide books arranged for any point of shipping origin in the entire country while in the manner indicated the rate sheets or secondary leaves. for the separate States must of necessity be prepared in the manner indicated for each State. whenever Chit-,ago as distinguished from St. Louis or whenever any other point of shipping origin is considered in the preparation o'lE the guide.

In order that the invention might be nn-` derstood the details of the preferred embodin cnt have been shown and particularly described `but it is not 'lcsired to be limited to the incre details ot' the invention toi' it. will bejapparent that persons skilled in the art may resort to Various modifications without departing from thepurpose and spirit of the invention.

1 claim l 1. The herein dcscrilmd guide t'or showingl comparative shipping rates or ta ritlis by pareel post and express comprisingy a list ot shipping destinations arranged in alpbabcti `cal order by States4 or other geographical "subdivisions in combination with av rate division,

sheet. for the said State or geographical subsaid rate sheet comprising tabulated express ratesl arranged inA a plurality of 'columns designated by scale numbers with each ot' said columns containingr graduated rates for shipments ot' dllcrcnt weights by express, parcel post rates arranged in tabulated form by zones -in cellulitis similar to said express rates and designated by zone numbers. and abbreviated key designations tor indicating.r the numbers ot' the respective express blocks and parcelpost units ol' arca in which thc various shi iping destinations in the said list are located.`sai l abbreviated key designations being also usi-d to iilcntil'y the corresponding express scale and parcel post '/.onc columns of rates on thc said rate sheet. i

2. The herein'described guide for showing comparative shipping rates or iarills by parcel post and express comprising.v a list of shipping destinations arranged in alpharbetical order bybtates or other geographim cal subdivisions in Combination with a. sheet for the said State or from apliieai sub`H division, said rate shew, comp taba.- lated express ari.k fred in a plurality of columns designatedsby scale nu" with eaehot said Columns contaiuinpe g., tinted .rates for shipi'nents of d' epi. weights by exi'ires's, parcel post. rates ar ranged in tabulated torni by zonesin ,columns similar to said expressvrates, and

designated by zone numbers. and abbreviated key designations tor indicating ninnbeifs etv the Wspcclive express blocks and parcel post units ot" area in which the various shipping destinations in the pared'with the nunibcrs normallyapplied to parcel post units of area for indicating said listy are located. said iey designations coniprising relatively smalti numerals as congi-y the units ot area in each State. and simpl-L characters tor indicating the numbers normu ally app-lied to the respective express blocks7 said ltey letters and key numbers beine; so used to identifythe co responding express scale columns and parcel post .zone columns ot' rates on lsaid 'ate sheet.`

3. A book made up of primary ieaves each containing names of places combined with absolute location characters based `upon esf tablished parcel post unit of area and ein press block systems. and secondary leaves nach ot which contains tables translat'ing4 said parcel post .and express absolute' loc tion characters on certain primary leave-s' into shippinrr rates from a predetermined center.

4. A oook mail@ np ot prinlary leaves cach 4containing naines of places combined with absolute location charm-ters based upon established parcel post unitot area and c press block systems indicating Ibe positions oi said places geographically and secondary leaves nach of which contains a table. translating certain of said parcel post and express absolute location characters into relative shipping-distiuieee tron-i a given sliippnpj center. i

5. A book made up oi prima ry lcarcs each containing names ot places combined with absolute iocation characters based upon es tablished parryel post unit ot' area and en# press block systems indicating;` the positions ot' said places lgcographically. secondaryleaves each of which contains a table transf lating certain of said parcel post and cx'iress absolute location clmractcrs into relative shipping` distances troni' a lgiven ship-ping center. and nach ot said secondary lea ves' also containingy a table translatin the corre'- spending: aforesaid relative s `tipping1r dis tauces into shipping rates.

ti. A book made up ot primary leaves containing' names of iilaees each combined with a. character expressingthe parcel post. unit BEST AVAlLABLE COFL to which it corresponds7 and secondary leaves each of which contains a table translating' the parcel 'post units borne by certain ot the Vprimary leaves into parcel post zones Ywith reference 'to a predetermined center, each ot' saidl secondary leaves also containing a table translating;l the', parcel post. zones shown thereon into ping rates.

7;). book-made-4 -of primary leaves containing names fl laces combined with characters express-ing; the parcel post unit of area and places, and secondary. leaves each of which contains a table translating said parcel post unit and express bleek characters into par-- cel post .zones and express scales with referenre to a predetermined center, each of said secondary leaves also containing a table translating the parcel post zones and express scales shown thereon into shipping rates.

A book made up of primary leaves containing the names of'places combined with two 'distinctive' sets .of characters or symbols indicating the absolute location characters based upon established parcel post unit of area and express block systems, and secondary leaves each of which contains tables translating said parcel post and express absolute-location characters on eertain of said primary leaves into shipping rates from a predetermined center.

9. ,A book made up of primary leaves containing the names ot places combined vwith, characters or symbols indicatingr in an abbreviated manner the established parcel post unit ot area and express block number geographical designations of said places, and secondary sheets each o'fwhich contains tables translating said parcel post and express lcharacters or symbols on .certa/in primary leaves into shipping rates from a predetermined center.

10. A boolr comprising leaves each containing nanies of places combined with both the established part-el post` unit of area and express block numbers indicating the positions ot' said places geographically, adapted to be used in eonjnnetion with tables for translating: said unit ol" area and express block numbers into relative ,shipping distam'es liront any prcdeterminrd shipping y center.

ll. A book comprisingr traves csli'li ron.

taining names oi' placescombined with both tbe established parcel post :mit ofarea andV express block nmnbcrs indicating the positions'of said plares geographxcally, adapted to be used in conjunction with tables 'for translating said unit of area. and express bloeit numbers into relative shipping dis` tonces 'from any prcdeterlnined shipping center, and with other tables ior trani-:la ingr salti relativo shipping' distances into shlp- 'ping ra' expresfbloek locations of said- 12. A book comprisingA leaves each containing names of places combined with characters or symbols indicating in an abbrevi- ,ated manner the established parcel post unit of areal and express block number geographical designations ot' said places, said leaves being adapted to be used in conjunction with tables for translating' vsaid abbreviated parcel post unit. of area and express bloelr number gg'eog'rapl'lieal designations into relative shippingdistances from any predetermined shipping;P center and with other tables for translating said relative shipping distances into shipping rates.

13. A book made up of primary leaves each containing names ot' places combined, with absolute location characters of `a'n abbreviated nature based upon anestablished express block system in combination'with characters for determining parcel Ypost rates, and secondary leaves containing' tables translating the express block absolute location.y characters of an abbreviated nature and the parcel post characters intoshippinpr rates from a predetermined center.

14. A book containing lists of shipping destinations Vcombined with permanent 1in-` changingsymbols; and tables translating said symbols into bothuparcel post and express rates fronra predetermined center.

f 15. A book containing' a list of shipping destinations combiner; with permanent nnehanging symbols based upon the geographical locations of said destinations; and tables translating said symbols into both parcel post and express rates from a predetermined center. r

16. A book containing a list of shippingl vdestinations combined with permanent unchanging; symbols based upon the geographical locations of said destinations with reference to both the express block' and parcel post unit of area systems; and tables translating said symbols into both parcel 'post and express rates from' a predetermined center. v

17. A-book made up of primary leaves containing lists of shippirm destinations combined with permanent' uni-hanging s vnibols based `upon the ,geographical locations of said destinations; and secondary leaves, 'containing tables translating' said symliols into both parcel post and expressrates from a predetermined center. y

18. A bool; made up of `primary leaves rontaining lists of shippingr destinations combined with permanent and unchanging symbols based lupon the geographical loca- *tions-of said destinations with reference to both 'the express block and parcel post unit of area systems; and secondary leaves containing tables translating said symbols into both parcel post and express rates from a predetermined center. l y

1.9. A book made up of primary leaves soi ,657 l @EST AvAiLABLE cow. "g

containing lists of shipping destinations name to this speoificationon this 4th day of combincnli with erinlanent unchanging st)m- June, A. D., 1923. lols,f1m secon(V ary eaves containing tn les e 1,-. Y,

by means of which said symbolsm's trans- CHARLED v' HLIAM FLH l" 5 lated into bofh parcel post and express rates "itnessesz from u predetermined center. FREDA C. AI'PLETON,

In testimony whereof I .have signed my B. G. RICHARDS. 

